How Middlesbrough FC's wage bill compares to the rest of the Championship | OneFootball

Football League World takes a look at how Middlesbrough's wage bill compares to that of their Championship rivals

The current Championship season marks Middlesbrough's eighth consecutive campaign at second-tier level, following relegation from the Premier League in 2017.

Since their top-flight exit seven-and-a-half years ago, Boro have landed a play-off spot on two occasions, which came in 2017/18, as they finished fifth, and in 2022/23, when they finished fourth.

Meanwhile, the summer transfer window witnessed Boro make some key additions, such as the signing of ex-Bristol City starlet Tommy Conway in a deal worth around £4.5m, according to the Northern Echo.

Last summer also saw Michael Carrick and co secure permanent moves for Manchester City youth academy product Micah Hamilton, and former Huddersfield Town man Delano Burgzorg, while George Edmundson and Ben Doak were both brought in on loan from Ipswich Town and Liverpool respectively.

And while Boro will hope that their recent transfer activity can help them finish in the top-six for the second time in three seasons, Football League World takes a look at how the club's wage bill compares to that of their Championship rivals.

Middlesbrough have the ninth-highest wage bill in the Championship

According to Capology estimates, Carrick's side boast the ninth-highest payroll in the second tier, with a weekly wage bill of £311,846, which equates to a yearly total of £16,216,000.

Capology also estimate that £780,000 of Boro's yearly wage bill goes towards goalkeepers, while the club's defenders earn a combined annual salary of £6,282,000.

Meanwhile, as per Capology, Boro's midfield earn an estimated £3,354,000 per year, while forwards enjoy a combined yearly salary of £5,800,000.

According to the site, Leeds United have the highest wage bill in the Championship with a weekly wage bill of £708,000, which adds up to a yearly total of £36,816,000.

On the other hand, newly promoted Portsmouth are estimated to have the lowest wage bill in the second tier, with a weekly payroll of £138,500, which equals an annual total of £7,202,000.

Perhaps surprisingly, according to Capology estimates, Boro's North East rivals, Sunderland, have a lower wage bill than that of the Teessiders, with a weekly payroll of £242,769, which totals £12,624,000.

Boro's highest paid player is former Leeds star

According to Capology estimates, ex-Whites defender Luke Ayling is the highest earner at the Riverside Stadium, and enjoys a weekly wage of £30,000, meaning he earns £1,560,000 per year.

Fellow veteran Jonny Howson is estimated to be Boro's second-highest earner, with a weekly pay of £25,000 and a yearly salary of £1,300,000.

Meanwhile, summer signings Neto Borges and Burgzorg sit joint-third on that list, each earning a weekly salary of £20,000, which sees the duo enjoy a yearly pay of £1,040,000.

Fellow summer addition Tommy Conway is estimated to earn a weekly wage of £10,000 per week, which adds up to £520,000 per year, while Capology estimate that Boro's lowest earner is 22-year-old attacking midfielder Alex Gilbert.

As per Capology, Gilbert earns £1,500 a week and £78,000 a year, while the club's second-lowest earner is young Dutchman Rav van den Berg, who made 34 Championship appearances last term.

According to the site's estimates, van den Berg enjoys a weekly wage of £2,000 and a yearly pay of £104,000.